Dialing In: Why Touch Connects

There's a fascinating and powerful connection between our sense of touch and our ability to learn and retain information. I discovered this firsthand when learning to code. I could watch tutorials and read through examples for hours, but the concepts only truly clicked and, more importantly, stuck, when I began physically typing the code myself. There was a joyful sense of 'unlocking' that came from active trials, a feeling that passive observation simply couldn't replicate.

This experience is not arbitrary. It's akin to learning a musical instrument. You can watch countless YouTube videos on how to play the guitar, memorizing the fretboard and chord shapes. But the real magic, the deep, ingrained learning, happens when your fingers connect with the strings and you begin to pluck. The physical act of doing forges a stronger neuropathway, more lasting connection in the brain. Some will also recall the experience of dialing a friend on a 9 digit keypad, that friend was accessible by a drawn through a memorized pattern.

The Science of Touch and Learning

This phenomenon is rooted in the way our brains are wired. The process of learning isn't just a passive reception of information; it's an active biological process of building and strengthening connections between neurons. When we engage in tactile or kinesthetic learning — learning by doing — we activate more areas of our brain.

Here's a breakdown of what's happening:

• Enhanced Memory and Retention: Physically interacting with material creates more vivid and lasting memories. Studies have shown that active learning leads to more neural activation than passive learning. The physical engagement reinforces cognitive connections, making information easier to recall. Research even suggests that retention rates for experiential learning can be as high as 75%, compared to just 5% for lecture-based learning.

• Deeper Understanding: Tactile learning helps to grasp abstract concepts by providing concrete experiences. When you type code, you're not just transcribing; you're forced to think about the syntax, the logic, and how different elements fit together. This active engagement leads to a more profound understanding than simply copy-pasting.

• Improved Brain Function: The act of learning a new physical skill, like playing an instrument or typing code, is a full-brain workout. It engages the visual, auditory, and motor cortices simultaneously. This kind of complex activity can increase the brain's plasticity, which is its ability to form new neural connections. For instance, musicians have been shown to have a larger corpus callosum, the part of the brain that connects the two hemispheres, indicating stronger communication between them.

The experience of typing code, making mistakes, and debugging them provides an opportunity to learn in a way that passive consumption of information cannot. It forces your brain to grapple with the material, leading to a more robust and joyful learning experience.

The Perfect Sidekick: How AI Can Enhance Our "Doing"

This brings us to the burgeoning role of Artificial Intelligence. Rather than seeing AI as a replacement for human intellect and action, we should view it as a powerful sidekick, particularly in fields like healthcare. AI is exceptionally good at handling repetitive, data-driven, and administrative tasks.

Here are some of the trivial healthcare tasks where AI is already making a significant impact:

• Automating Administrative Workflows: AI can streamline tasks like patient record management, medical data capturing, and hands free documentation. This frees up healthcare professionals from time-consuming paperwork and reduces the risk of human error.

• Optimizing Scheduling: AI-powered systems can manage appointments and optimize hospital workflows, reducing patient wait times and improving efficiency.

• Handling Patient Inquiries: AI chatbots can provide 24/7 support, answering common patient questions and guiding them through processes like registration.

By delegating these more mundane tasks to AI, we empower healthcare professionals to focus on what they do best: the human-to-human interaction, the critical thinking, and the hands-on care that requires empathy and a deep understanding of the individual patient. Just as a musician needs to physically play their instrument to create music, a healthcare provider needs the time and mental space to connect with their patients on a human level.

Conclusion

The joy and efficacy of learning through touch and active participation is a testament to the intricate and powerful design of our brains. By embracing this principle and leveraging AI as a supportive tool to handle the trivial, we can create more time and space for the deeply human and joyful work that leads to true mastery and meaningful connection.